Chapter 357 Panic and Turmoil in Rome
This time, King Kate sent an envoy to specifically instruct him to be careful with his words and not to offend Ying Che. The envoy himself bowed his head for his emperor for the first time and kowtowed to others. This scene was quite ironic.
But what's the harm?
Which empire has not experienced decline? What does the gain or loss of face matter?
Only an empire that can withstand failure can be reborn in the flames!
Then, the Roman envoy once again set foot on the territory of the Duke of Rose. His attitude was completely different from that of the previous envoy. Facing Ying Che, he knelt on the ground devoutly, all of which was just to cater to the king's needs. If the king ordered to be tough on Ying Che at this moment, this person would immediately turn hostile.
"Your Excellency, our conflict is not unsolvable. Our country is facing a serious crisis and urgently needs this batch of food and fodder."
"Therefore, we implore you to show mercy and release some of the grain to avoid causing a large-scale famine. You must know that the people of the empire are innocent. If you really need money, our royal family is willing to buy back the grain at the price you offer."
Ying Che was quite satisfied with the envoy's humble attitude, but he was indifferent to money. After all, he was the thirteenth prince of the Qin Dynasty. If even he was short of money, then no one in the world would be rich.
At this moment, Ying Che had only one thought in mind - to seize the land of Rome. To him, the attraction of Rome was only its fertile land. The foundation of an empire lies in farmland, and once the farmers' emotions are turbulent, it is a sign of the empire's fall.
Ying Che did not intend to destroy the Roman Empire immediately, but intended to control its lifeline so that it could be destroyed more easily in the future. This was in line with Ying Che's strategy, and he did not care who would completely destroy it, because it would not be him anyway.
He looked at the messenger and said, "Well, since you are so begging, I will not make it difficult for you. As long as you are willing to exchange the land for food, I will sell it to you. One mu of land can be exchanged for 20 kilograms of food."
Hearing this, the messenger's face darkened. He was not a stupid person. Hearing Ying Che's proposal, he quickly calculated in his mind. Normally, one acre of cultivated land can produce 200 kilograms of grain, but now the fields in Rome are likely to have been damaged by locust plagues, and there will be no harvest in a month. By then, the Romans, who have no money and no food, will face starvation.
However, most Romans had some land in their hands. Now that they had no harvest, they could at least get 20 kilograms of grain. Even a fool could see the pros and cons of such a deal. Even if it was like drinking poison to quench thirst, they had to accept it...
Today, the shadow of famine is quietly growing in the city of Rome, for this is the heart of Rome.
Other places can still hold on, but once the capital is affected, it will undoubtedly be a catastrophic blow to them!
The most urgent task is to take back some food from Ying Heng to alleviate the urgent need, and the first priority is to stabilize the situation in the capital.
The envoy forced a smile and suggested to Ying Heng: "Everything is up to you. How do you plan to trade? Do you need us to come with the land deed, or do you need to come in person? No matter what, we will fully cooperate!"
Ying Heng heard this and slowly replied: "What I really need is your farmers. All they need is for them to come to me with the land deeds."
"There's no need to bother you to move it yourself. That will only cause a lot of trouble."
"I will distribute the grain directly to the farmers. Of course, if your court is interested in trading, I don't mind. You can send an envoy and I will sell the grain to you at the market price."
As soon as these words came out, the envoys' faces turned pale, while the Duke of Rose was secretly proud, thanking that the food in his hands was enough for him to occupy a place in the ranks of Roman dukes. Those who asked him for help seemed so humble at this moment, like clowns.
"In addition, I also need your royal family to help convey this message, so that all the suburban landowners in the city will know that I am purchasing land. In this way, the grain transaction can be smoother. I believe you will not refuse this request?"
The envoy was a little hesitant at first, but he remembered the emperor's instructions when they left. No matter what the conditions are, we must first ensure that the grain returns! As for Ying Heng's request, we will agree to it first. After all, we are in Roman territory, and we have plenty of ways to deal with his misdeeds in the future!
Let’s get the food first!
"Okay, no problem. I will go back and report to His Majesty immediately. You must prepare the food. Someone will come to purchase it in a few days." After saying this, the messenger returned to the palace with Ying Heng's conditions.
After learning about Ying Heng's conditions, His Majesty was furious. He slammed the table and asked loudly, "This guy's demands are too much! He actually wants to force our royal family to promote him! This is a blatant provocation!
Prince Kate, who was standing by, understood Ying Heng's intentions. His purpose was obvious. As long as the royal family intervened, those lands would most likely be taken by Ying Heng, and he would naturally become the largest landowner around Rome. However, Prince Kate was calmer. He had investigated the situation in Rome and knew 70% to 80% of the situation in the city.
Today, 30% to 40% of the city’s residents are in panic and unrest.
If this chaos is not quelled quickly, everything will be irreversible!
He stood up decisively, looked at his father firmly and persuaded him: "Father, we all know that food is very important. As long as we have food, are we still afraid that others will not recognize it?"
"The land will eventually belong to Rome, and we can take it back as long as the army arrives. But the food is different. If he is determined to die, we can burn it all with a fire, and we will be completely defeated!"
"The current priority is to stabilize the people's hearts and minds. Maintaining our rule is the key!"
The emperor remained rational, and despite his inner rage, he still gave the order:
"Send a messenger to spread the news immediately! Go quickly!"
The wisdom of the Roman emperor was not empty talk, and after issuing the order, he regained his composure.
"Tell my men that there are people in the Rose Dukedom who are willing to exchange food for land. Let them prepare it themselves."
There was a heavy tone in the emperor's words; at this moment he was undoubtedly aiding and abetting the tyrant.
But he knew that this had to be done, otherwise these people would starve to death.
Of course, it would be a joke to say that the emperor had mercy on those who were about to starve to death.
They worry that those who died of starvation might take the opportunity to cause chaos.
Although Prince Kate guarded the imperial city and ensured the emperor's safety, this meant that the Roman Empire would lose its main industrial production, which was a huge cost.
Therefore, it is more important to give up the land temporarily and ensure food security!
When Prince Kate heard his father's compromise, he felt a little relieved. After all, as long as his father remained calm, the situation could still be turned around.
He immediately ordered the people beside him: "Go and pass on the order, what are you doing standing here?!"
"As ordered!"
Everyone then quickly left the palace.
(End of this chapter)